Fix-it shop: How struggling NHL teams can get back in the race

Every season, there are teams that get things turned around after a rough start. On Nov. 8, 2017, the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild were 12th and 13th, respectively, in the Western Conference, and the St. Louis Blues were 12-3-1. By the end of the season, the Ducks and Wild were in the postseason, and the Blues were golfing. On that same day, Boston was a mediocre 6-5-1 and ended up finishing 50-20-12.

Many teams at the bottom, however, did not have those types of turnarounds. Clubs like Arizona, Edmonton, Montreal and Buffalo started slow and never recovered.

Which teams will kick things into gear soon? What factors will determine whether this year’s bottom-feeders stay down or rise up? Let’s have a look at each team that is currently at or under one standings point per game, and how they can get back in the race.